Story Summary
The Seattle Kraken reportedly want to extend Vince Dunn while continuing to pursue a potential trade for Detroit Red Wings restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson.
David Pagnotta said negotiations over a new deal for Dunn began around, or shortly after, the start of the regular season, with discussions continuing through early October. The reported position is that Seattle and Dunn share the objective of reaching an agreement, although no extension is described as imminent.
Dunn is in a contract year and has reportedly indicated that he would like to finish his career in Seattle. Pagnotta suggested that a new contract could carry an eight-figure average annual value, with the eventual figure dependent on term and the overall structure of the deal.
Seattle’s interest in Edvinsson is a separate market conversation. Pagnotta said the Kraken have been involved since Edvinsson became available and it became known that he wanted a trade from Detroit. The 23-year-old has been described as a first-pair defenceman still developing his game, and Seattle are said to be among several clubs pursuing him.
Key Facts
- Vince Dunn is a pending unrestricted free agent in a contract year with the Seattle Kraken.
- Vince Dunn has reportedly said that he would like to finish his career in Seattle.
- David Pagnotta said Seattle and Dunn began extension discussions around or shortly after the start of the regular season, including talks in early October.
- Pagnotta described a shared desire between Seattle and Dunn to complete an extension but said that no agreement appeared imminent.
- Pagnotta suggested that Dunn’s next deal could reach an eight-figure average annual value, depending on its term and structure.
- Seattle are reportedly among the teams interested in Detroit Red Wings restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson.
- Pagnotta said Seattle’s pursuit of Edvinsson dates to when he became available on the trade market and sought a move from Detroit.
- Edvinsson is 23 and was described by Pagnotta as a first-pair defenceman who is still coming into his own.
- Pagnotta said the asking price for Edvinsson is high and may vary according to the team speaking with Detroit interim general manager Sean Horcoff.
IHM Discussion
The two matters should not be treated as one transaction. Seattle’s reported wish to retain Dunn concerns a player already central to the club’s blue line and a contract negotiation with a stated common objective. The Edvinsson situation is an external trade pursuit involving Detroit’s price, Edvinsson’s reported desire to leave and interest from several teams.
Dunn’s leverage in the discussion is shaped by timing as much as by Seattle’s preference. Pagnotta placed him among the possible leading defencemen in the next unrestricted free-agent class, depending on what happens with Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes. That is not a valuation already agreed by Seattle and Dunn, but it explains why a potential eight-figure AAV has entered the conversation.
The lack of urgency is notable. Pagnotta did not describe a breakdown, a deadline or a negotiation in distress. Instead, he portrayed both sides as still refining the parameters of a deal. Contract term and structure can materially affect the final number, so an apparent broad agreement on direction does not mean the detailed work is complete.
Edvinsson presents a much less controllable route to another high-end defenceman. Seattle can make its interest known, but Detroit hold the trade conversation and the reported cost is high. The Kraken would also be competing with other clubs for a 23-year-old player whom Pagnotta believes is still improving.
Why It Matters
For Seattle, keeping Dunn and adding Edvinsson would be different decisions with potentially overlapping consequences for the blue line. An extension would provide certainty around a pending unrestricted free agent who reportedly wants to remain with the club. A trade for Edvinsson, if one could be reached, would require Seattle to meet Detroit’s price in a competitive market.
The market matters because defencemen with Edvinsson’s reported profile are not commonly available. That scarcity can raise the demands on interested teams, especially when Detroit are fielding calls from multiple clubs. It also means that Seattle do not need to make one negotiation dependent on the other: a Dunn extension remains a direct bilateral discussion, while any Edvinsson move would need agreement between the two clubs.
Those details remain unknown, and neither a Dunn extension nor an Edvinsson trade should be regarded as completed.
IHM Market Outlook
Dunn’s reported eight-figure AAV range is a market estimate rather than a confirmed demand or Seattle offer. Pagnotta linked that estimate to Dunn’s present standing and the possibility that he could be one of the leading defencemen available in the next free-agent class. Term and contract structure were identified as the factors that could shape the final figure.
Seattle’s interest in Edvinsson comes with a different type of cost: Detroit’s reported trade price. Pagnotta said that price can fluctuate depending on the club involved in discussions with Sean Horcoff. That leaves the market open without establishing that Seattle have made a formal offer, agreed a framework or moved ahead of rival bidders.
Mini Q&A
Are the Kraken close to extending Vince Dunn?
Not according to the available report. Seattle and Dunn are said to want an extension, but David Pagnotta said there is still work to do and did not describe a deal as imminent.
What could Vince Dunn’s next contract cost Seattle?
Pagnotta suggested an eight-figure average annual value may be required, with the precise amount dependent on contract term and structure.
Have the Kraken acquired Simon Edvinsson?
No. Seattle are reportedly interested in Edvinsson, but no trade agreement or proposed return has been reported.
Why could an Edvinsson trade be difficult?
Pagnotta said Detroit’s price is high and can vary depending on the club involved, while several teams are reported to have pursued the 23-year-old defenceman.
Coach Mark Comment
There is a real difference between wanting more quality on the blue line and being able to bring it in without paying away something a club will miss later. Seattle can keep working on Dunn’s extension because both sides are already discussing the details. Edvinsson is a different kind of decision: Detroit’s high reported price means every asset in a proposed return has to be weighed carefully.
The sensible part is not to let the appeal of a 23-year-old defenceman turn a reported pursuit into an obligation. Dunn’s contract work and the Edvinsson trade market can run alongside each other without either one being forced to settle the other.
IHM Final View
Seattle’s reported plan is ambitious but remains incomplete on both fronts. The Kraken and Dunn are said to be working towards a shared destination, with the financial and structural details still to be settled. Seattle also remain in the mix for Edvinsson, though Detroit’s high asking price and broad interest make that a far more uncertain undertaking.
For now, the clearest distinction is simple: Dunn’s extension is a live negotiation with mutual interest, while Edvinsson is a reported target whose availability has drawn a crowded market.